Dehydrator



DEHYDRATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 14, 1945 7"!!! lllllllllllllllllll Clarence 0. Glasgow Patented Ju 28, 1949 nnnvnna'ron Clarence 0. Glasgow, Tulsa, Okla., assignor to National Tank Company, Tulsa, kla., a corporation of Nevada Application May 14, 1945, Serial N0; 593,724

, This invention relates to new and useful improvements in dehydrators.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means in an oil-water emulsion treater,

whereby the oil-water mixture is spread'across the. treater below the heating chamber and its direct flow sufliciently retarded to cause entrained water to drop out or precipitate, thus reducing the liquid load in said heating chamber and pro- ,ducing more desirable treating.

A'further object of the invention is to provide improved spreading means, whereby the oilv a water mixture is retarded and spread so that when the emulsion is introduced into the heating I chamber, approximately all of the free water and some of the water content of theemulsion mixture, will have been dropped out or precipitated, which not only reduces the liquid and heat loads in the heating chamber, but increases the capacity of the heating chamber; produces more desirable treating and holds down the heating and treating costs.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means, whereby the spread and baflied emulsified oil is delivered to the heating chamber .below the heater thereof, in a multiplicity of small upwardly flowing streams dispersed across saidchamber, so that the emulsified oil is more quickly and more uniformly heated; and'better heat exchange with the heater is obtained, thereby dissipating excessive heat and prolonging the life of the heater.

Still another object of'the invention is to provide an improved dehydrator wherein the oilwater mixture is spread, conducted across the tank and discharged into the heating chamber in such a manner as to take full-advantage of heat exchange with the'heated liquids in the lowerportion of the heatingchamber.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus wherein the oilwater mixture is caused to flow under horizontal plates. or sheets at the bottom of the heating chamber so as to absorb heat from said platesor sheets which are themselves in heat exchange contact with the heated liquids in the heating chamber.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will -be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

is Claims. (01. 210-47) I The invention will be more readilyund'er'stood from a reading of the following specification and byv reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein an example of the invention is-shown, and wherein: a Y

Fig. 1 is a view of an emulsion treater, partly in elevation and partly in section, equipped with an oil dehydrator constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3- is a similar view taken on the line 3-- 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of .Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the treater taken on a line' through the perfo- Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing eaaitional baflles in the hood.

' Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 1 and showing another form of construction involving the invention,

Fig. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 9.

In the drawings, the numeral Ill designates 'a treater tank having an inlet II at its upper end, whereby the emulsion stream or oil-water mixture may be introduced. It is well known that considerable free water is entrained in the oil-water stream. In treaters of the character shown in the Jay P. Walker Patent No. 2,297,297, a large portion of this free water is separated in a separating chamber at the top of the tank, but in other treaters the influent stream is carried down frequently be delivered with the emulsion, at the bottom of the tank; also, the invention involves precipitating some of the water emulsified with the oil, before the stream enters the heating chamber. In many installations it would not be necessary to separate water at the top of the tank.

A down pipe I! is shown'at one side of the tank and this pipe may extend directly from the inlet II, from a gas separator at the top of the tank or from a water separator at the top of the tank or from any other source, so long as it delivers an oil-water stream to the lower end of the tank. The lower end of the pipe I! extends through the flat top II of a hood or spreader M which extends from the wall adjacent said pipe, horizontally across the tank toward the opposite wall, as is best shown in Figs.

,1, 3 and 4. The top It occupies a greater portion of the cross-sectional area of the tank. The

hood is provided with depending upright side aprons or plates 15 and a transverse outer baffle or end plate I. At the ends of the plate I. the 'hood is secured to the inner wall of the tank and thus, there is'provided at the sides of the hood, chordal flow spaces or passages A between the aprons ,IS and the wall of the tank and a chordal flow space or passage B, between the end plate 13, and the tank being filled with liquid up to a medial height, the mixture will spread 40 under said plate, whereby the emulsified oil, being of less specific gravity than the free water, will stratify and form a layer within and across the hood in intimate contact with the under side of the top plate l3.

Directly below the discharge end of the pipe l2, a horizontal deflector I2 is secured to the wall of the tank and has its ends attached to the aprons I5. Varying quantities of free water, depending upon the particular well streams being treated, will flow down the pipe 12 with the emulsifted oil. The free water may be in larger quantities than the oil or the down stream may flow under considerable velocity or in such volume, as to cause the stream to take a general .downward course. Free water would tend to flow toward the bottom of the tank. The deflector I! will arrest a direct downward flow and aid in spreading the liquids across the tank.

The stratum of emulsified oil will be in constant motion and spreading toward the sides and end of the hood, but flowing generally toward the end plate IS. The bailie plates l6 and I1 form therebetween a relatively narrow transverse fiume or passage C and as the stratum of emulsified oil builds up, it will flow over the top edge of the battle l1 and then flow down the-flume. This overflow may be controlled by varying the spacing of said edge from the top plate I 3.

It will be observed that the lower edge of the plate It terminates short of the lower edges of the aprons l5 and thus, when the stratum of emulsified oil reaches a thickness where its bottom level oes below the level of the lower edge ing chamber, the volume ofoil treated in a given hood, as well as means for retardingand bafiling' the flow of such oil. The lower edge of the plate I may be provided with serrations or saw teeth ll, whereby the outwardly flowing oil' is divided into a transverse flow of small upwardly flowing streams, dispersed according to the spacing of said teeth. This treatment of the oil results in additional spreading thereof.

It is well known in oil field practice that if an oil-water mixture is spread over a large area between an inlet and an outlet. as for instance in a: tank 30 or 40 feet in diameter, not only will the free water drop out of the mixture or precipitate therefrom, but the major portion of the water emulsified with the oil will separate from .the oil. Such precipitation and/or separation will be accelerated and increased if heat is applied. However, it is more practical and economical to-obtain the same results in a treater with a tank of" from 4 to 10' feet in diameter. It is highly important to produce pipe line oil with a minimum water content for the reasons that oil with too high a water content is rejected by the pipe-line companies and the lower the per-- centage of water, the higher is the price paid.

There are many treaters which treat and de-' liver oil acceptacle to the pipe-line companies; however, there is a proportionate expense in treating emulsified oils; such expense being governed by the heat load, the capacity of the heat period, the rate of flow of the oil through the treater and supervision and maintenance. It is axiomatic that the'more water removed from the heating chamber, thus proportionately re-.

ducing the heat load, as well as increasing the treating capacity of the heater chamber, accelerating the flow of oil into and through such chamber and making the emulsion easier to break down in a given period of treatment. When water is removed, the specific gravity ofthe mixture and/ or emulsion is reduced.

From the foregoing, it becomes obvious that by spreading and stratifying the oil-water mixture under the top I3 and in the hood ll, substantially any entrained free water will drop out and settle toward the bottom of the tank before the flow of --liquids reaches the flume (2.. Since the liquids In the zone in which the hood ,is located will be more or less warm and also, since the emulsified oil will be widely spread and its fiow retarded across the hood, much water will be precipitated from such oil and the latter thereby lightened. Consequently, the dehydrated oil will flow more rapidly up through the passage B than a heavier iq d.

overhanging the space B and the hood I4 and also spaced thereabove, is a horizontal partition or baflle II. This partition has a depending transverse flange 20 at its inner edge, slightly beyond the diametrical center of the tank, and also, is provided with a depending arcuate flange 2| connected to the ends of its flange 20. The flange 2| is secured to the inner surfaceof the tank wall. A transverse row of perforations 22 are formed in the partition contiguous .to

the flange 20 and on a line coincident with the diametrlcal axis of the tank. By the foregoing into a multiplicity of small streams diametrically of the tank. Just above the perforations, a suitable heating element, such as a return bend heater tube 23 is disposed. This tube is supplied with heat in any suitable manner.

The top plate I! of the hood I4 and the partition is form the bottom of a heating chamber E. Such chambers .frequently have immersed bafiles above the heater for washing the emulsified oil and thus terms heating and/or wash-' ing chambers are used. In the structure illustrated, the passage D iorms both an entrance to and an outlet from, .the chamber for the passage 01- water; the flange-2o is adequate to 'arrest and cause the oil from the passage'B to,v flow upwardly through the perforations 22 into the chamber. Since the tank will contain liquid,

predominately water, from its bottom up to its medial portion well above the heater tube 23, the emulsified oil escaping from the flume C will flow upwardly and laterally through the water. The water. in the tank, composed of the original body of water initiallypiaced in the .tank and augmented by the free saltwater flowing thereinto and the salt water precipitated from the emulsion, will flow generally ward.

As the water moves downwardly in the tank .it will become progressively cooler, therefore as the emulsified oil flows upwardly and laterallyit consequently flows through increasingly hotter progressive heating of the emulsified oil will proportionately break down the emulsion and release water therefrom and such released water will settle back through the passage 3 and Edcwn onto the top plate It; Where the lower edge of the plate I6 is provided with..the serrations l8 and theupwardly flowing oil is thus divided into small streams, the oil will be more thoroughly heated and such streams flowing rapidly, there will be a reduced tendency to admix with descending water. course, the amount of water thus released will depend 'somewhat upon the velocity and volume of emulsified oil flowing upwardly.

Since the heater 23 is relatively close to the partition 19 and the top plate ll of the hood I,

there will be, immediately above and in conwater contained in the zone into which it .discharges. Such free water will not contact the plate It and therefore. it will not be heated suiiiciently to defeat its downward. movement.

The oil which is discharged through the perforations 22 having. undergone a preliminary dehydration will have a lower percentage of water emulsified therewith and there will be substantially no iree water entrained with such oil.

The oil streams from said perforations impinge the rounded bottom of the heater tube-23 and.'

flow upwardly in the chamber E, whereby such oilis heated and washed and the dehydration is-completed; The emulsified oil entering the chamber E having a reduced specific gravity and a lower percentage of water, ,will be much easier to treat. The volume oi'llquid entering said chamber being much less than the volume of liquid entering the tank. .the heat load in the chamber will be greatly reduced. With less' liquid to be heatedand treated in the chamber. in a given period, the capacity of the chamber is increased because the time lag through such chamber will'not be as great. as in the usual ophigh temperature, but not -as high as the water water from which it will absorb heat. This tact with the partition and top plate, .a zone of continuous emulsion breaking operation. At-

tentlon is directed to the fact that the free water which discharges from the pipe l2 will immediately move toward the bottom of the tank because its temperature will be lower than the tom oi the chamberor moves toward the wall,

of the tank, where it is more or less cooled and a downward circulation promoted. 1 While some of the water will be recirculated in the chamber, much of it will settle onto the partition l9 and top plate i3. Such water will have a relatively' immediately around the heater 23. This water ,will flow over the partition and discharge onto the top plate l3. Some oi the water from the structures;

top plate will back flow through the passage D to the passage B, but thegreater portion will flow into and down the passages A between the aprons l5 and the wall of the tank. Eventually such water-settles to the bottom of the tank and is carried out through the pipe 24.

The invention may be carried out by other In Fig. 8 intermeidate bafiles in the form of staggered upright plates 26 attached to the under side of the top plate l3 and one of the aprons ii of the hood II, are shown. One

or more of thesebaflies may be used. These bailies will cause the oil-water mixture to flow ,in a circuitous path from thedown pipe [2 to the flume C. By thus elongating the flow path,

-an increased dehydration is provided.

' In Figs. 9, 10 and '11, another form ofstructure is illustrated. In this form, the hood I! assumes a' circular or cylindrical form disposed concentrically in the tank so as to provide an annular water passage F therearound. This hood has a radial box 21 extending to the side wall of the tank and connected to the depending an-. nular apron or plate 28 of the hood. The top of the box is flush with the horizontal top plate I3 01' said hood. The down pipe l2 enters the box which is open to the hood owing to a gap in the apron 28. The hood is supported by radial gussets or webs 29 preferably welded to the tank wall and the apron 28. A baille 30 comparable to the baiiie I 'l, in the form of a transverse plate is secured across the hood and the emulsified oil flows over this plate into a passage 3i.

From the lower central portion of the plate elongated transverse spreader 33, suitably supported, as by legs-34 fastened on the top plate 29. This spreader is substantially V-shaped in cross-section and extends entirely across the hood and preferably has its ends open. .Perforations 35 in the spreader divide the upwardly flowing oil into a multiplicity of small streams which impinge the under side of the heater tube 23.; the spreader extending longitudinally under the tube. The bafiles 26 may be applied to the hood H. The operation is much the same as in Figs. 1 to 7. The oil-water mixture flows from the pipe l2 and spreads under the hood. The emulsified oil stratum overflows the baille'30 into the passage 3|, down the latter and into the lower end of the tube 32, from which it is discharged intothe spreader 33. The lightened oil discharged in small streams from perforations 35 of the spreader, is heated and washed in the chamber E. The washed out water settles through the annular space F to the bottom of the tank.

In all forms, the oil-water mixture which is discharged from the down pipe l2 will be cooler than the body of liquids below the top plates of the hoods. Owing to the wide spreading action, the cooler free water entering the hood will readily precipitate, thus dropping out of the mixture. By the time the baflles I! or 30 are reached, nearly all of the free water will have dropped out of the mixture and such water will settle to the bottom of the tank. Also owing to the fact that as the stratum of emulsified oil flows toward the outlet of the hood, in intimate contact with the plates I3 or 29, its temperature is gradually raised due to heat exchange with said plate and its contact with the warmer water within the hood, whereby varying amounts of water emulsifiedwith the oil will be precipitated or washed out. Further, very little, it any, chilling is suffered by the oil during this flow due to descending water. Since the down pipe i2 is usually of ample size, as from 6 to 8 inches in diameter, any gas liberated under the hoods will by-pass the down-flowing liquids and escape up. wardly through said pipe.

The term hood as used helein,is-intended to define a structure having a transverse top of considerable area in all diametrical directions and marginal structure depending from the top so as to confine a wide or broad stratum of emulsifled oil thereunder.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination in an emulsion treater, a

tank having a heating chamber therein, means.

for heating the liquids in the heating chamber, a transverse plate defining the bottom of the heating chamber, a conductor for delivering an oil-water mixture to the tank below the plate at one side of the tank, an oil outlet from the plate to the heating chamber for delivering oil to said chamber from below said plate spaced laterally of the tank from the conductor on the opposite side of the center of said tank, whereby the oilwater mixture is caused to flow generally laterally from said conductor to said outlet along the underside of said plate and spread in a broad .8 stratum under saidplate, means below said plate to divert the lateral flow of the liquids in advance of the outlet to permit water to precipitate from the oil-water mixture, and means for carrying off separated water from the tank.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, with means for separately conducting water settling in the heating chamber to a point invthe tank'below the discharge end of the conductor. whereby such settled water is segregated fromthe oil-water mixture discharged from the conductor.

3. An oil-water mixture dehydratingapparatus including, a tank having a heating chamber, means for heating liquids in the heating chamher, a hood extending laterally in said tank at the bottom of said chamber spaced above the bottom of the tank and having a wide top in heat exchange relation with said heating chamber,

chamber spaced laterally across the tank fromthe delivery means, means within the hood at the outlet thereof for retarding the escape of liquid through said outlet, whereby the oil-water mix- 'ture is spread in said hood and the emulsified oil is stratifled in intimate contact with the top of said hood to cause water-to precipitate from the mixture under said hood, and means for carrying oil? separated water from the tank.

4. An oil-water mixture dehydrating apparatus as set forth in claim 3, and means for spreading the liquid escaping from said hood.

5. An oil-water mixture dehydrating apparatus as set forthin claim 3, and means for conducting settled water from the heating chamber to the bottom of the tank in a path segregated from the hood.

6. An oil-water mixture dehydrating apparatus including, a tank having a heating chamber, means for heating liquids in the heating chamber, a hood extending laterally in said tank. at the bottom of said chamber spaced above the bottom of the tank and having a wide top in heat exchange relation with said chamber, means for delivering an oil-water mixture under said hood, an oil outlet from said hood to said chamber spaced laterally across the tank from the delivery means, means within the hood coacting with the outlet for overflowing emulsified oil stratified in the hood, means for conducting the overflowing oil upwardly to the heating chamber, and means for carrying oil? separated water from the tank.

7. An oil-water mixture dehydrating apparatus as set forth in claim 6, and means for dividing the overflowing oil into a'multiplicity of streams transversely of the tank.

8. In combination in an emulsion treater, a tank having an elevated heating chamber, means for heating liquid in the heating chamber, a hood extending across the tank, a down pipe discharging into the hood for delivering an oil-water mixture thereinto, a transverse overflow baflle in the hood spaced across the tank from the down pipe to cause the oil to spread in a stratum across said tank, mean for conductingoverflow oil from the lower portion of the hood to the heating chamber, and means for carrying off separated water from the tank.

9. In combination in an emulsion treater, a tank having an elevated heating chamber, means for heating liquid in the heating chamber, a hood extending across the tank, said hood having depending aprons spaced from the wall of the tank to provide segregated flow passages for water settling from the chamber, a down pipe discharging into the hood for delivering an oil-water mixture thereinto, a transverse overflow baflle in the hood spaced across the tank from the down pipe, means for conducting overflow oil from the lower portion of the hood to the chamber, and means for carrying off separated water from the tank.

10. In combination in an emulsion treater, a tank having an elevated heating chamber, means for heating liquid in the heating chamber, a hood extending across the tank, a down pipe discharging into the hood for delivering an oil-water mixture thereinto, a transverse overflow baiile in the hood spaced across the tank from the down pipe, an inclined conductor extending from the baiile upwardly through the top of the hood to the chamber for conducting oil to said chamber, and means for carrying ofl' separated water from the tank.

11. The combination as set forth in claim 10, and a'transverse spreader in the heating chamber immediately above said conductor.

12. In combination in an emulsion treater, a tank-having an elevated heating chamber, means for heating liquid in the heating chamber, a hood extending across the tank, a down pipe discharging into the hood for delivering an oil-water mixture thereinto, a transverse overflow baiiie in the hood spaced across the tank from the down pipe, a dame adjacent the overflow baiiie for conducting and discharging overflow liquid from the hood, a passage for conducting the overflow oil upwardly, a partition overhanging the hood and the passage providing a channel for delivering the liquid from the passage to the chamber, and

means for carrying on separated water from the tank.

sage providing a channel for delivering the liquid from the passage to the chamber, means carried by the partition for dividing the liquid into a multiplicity of upwardly flowing streams, and

"means for carrying of! separated water from the 14. The method of treating emulsifled oil streams which includes, flowing a stream having free water and emulsifled oil entrained therein, spreading the stream in a broad confined area containing a body of heated water. stratifying the components of the stream in said area to cause the free water to settle downwardly and to preheat the stratum of emulsifled oil, retarding the flow of the preheated stratum .of emulsifled oil for a period of time to cause water to precipitate therefrom. thereafter flowing the emulsifled oil into a second confined area containing a body of heated water of higher temperature than the first body of water and separating water from the oil. and carrying oi! separated 15. The method of treating emulsifled oil streams which includes, flowing a stream having free water and emulsified oil entrained therein, spreading the stream in a broad confined area containing a body of heated water, stratifying the components of the stream in said area to cause the free water to settle downwardly and to preheat the stratum of emulsified oil, retarding the flow of the preheated stratum of emulsifled oil for a period of time to cause water to precipitate therefrom, thereafter flowing the emulsifled oil into a second confined area containing a body of heated water of higher temperature than the first body of water and separating water from the oil, by-passing water separated in the second area with respect to the first area, and carrying 011' separated water.

16. The method of treating emulsifled oil streams which includes, flowing the stream and spreading it in a broad confined horizontal area containing a body of heated water, reducing the velocity of the spreading stream to cause water to precipitate from the emulsifled oil, collecting the emulsifled oil in a stratum in said .body of heated water for a period of time to preheat the stratum of emulsified oil and to cause water to precipitate therefrom, thereafter flowing the emulsifled oil from said stratum into a second confined area containing a body of water of higher temperature than the first body of water and separating water from the oil, and carrying oiI separated water.

17. An oil-water mixture dehydrating appara-- tus including, a tank, a hood mounted across and within the tank having an inlet at oneside and an outlet at the opposite side thereof, whereby the mixture is caused to spread across the tank, flow-obstructing means within the hoodfor stratifying a stratum of emulsifled oilin said hood, a heating chamber in the tank, flow means for conducting emulsifled oil from the outlet of the hood to the heating chamber, means for carrying of! water separated in the hood, and spreader means for the conducted oil.

18. An oil-water mixture dehydrating apparatus as set forth in claim 17, with baflle means within the hood for bailling the oil-water mixture.

9 CLARENCE O. GLASGOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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